The Yellow Ribbon
by InsaneKAT
Summary: He despised those radiation-proof suits. His student meant well by making him wear it, but Tsuna didn't know that what kept the radiation out also kept the effects in. And time was running out. TYL. Written for Reborn's birthday.


**AN. **A birthday present for Reborn. I _got _to stop myself from writing such emotional and… dramatic stuff. All my one-shots are turning out the same. Gah.

Nothing much to say about my life. Having my ABRSM violin Grade 8 test on October 31st. Mom bothering the crap out of me. Oh, and KHR character songs crack me up. Fran's the only one who can sing in monotone. Laughed my ass off for some strange reason. I guess I'm just random like that.

**Title: **I wanted to give it a two-worded title, but I already have two one-shots with two-worded titles. An adjective, followed by a noun. Boring. So I gave it something that stood out most on Reborn (to me), the ribbon on his fedora.

**Reason for story:** Birthday present for Reborn and plot-hole filler. This time, the question is a simple one: If Gianini invented radiation-proof suits, why didn't the Arcobaleno wear them? Why wait for themselves to die in suffering and pain?

**Timeline/setting: **Well, obviously, three days after Xanxus's birthday. Think of this as a half-sequel, following 'Scarlet Tears'. Yes, still in Future Arc.

**Point of view: **Mostly Reborn, some of Dino and a little third person, I think.

**Mistakes: **First of all, I do realize that it isn't possible that anyone would spontaneously combust suddenly for no apparent reason. And then, I don't believe that spirits are present. But I couldn't help adding the last part. I wanted Reborn to see his dear student Dino crying for him. Also, if I spelled Tri-ni-Sette wrong or got any facts wrong, tell me please. It's ten thirty-five now in Shanghai time, and I'm tired out and too lazy to check myself. Plus, my mom wants my lights out before eleven.

**Language/rating: **Nothing too vulgar, nothing too graphic. I guess there's not much to explain.

If there's anything else wrong, feel free to tell me. Flames will be used to roast marshmallows with Byakuran.

**Edited: **Edited on October 16th. Extra AN information added.

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own the characters of Katekyo Hitman Reborn. All belongs to Akira Amano apart from the plot.

**THE YELLOW RIBBON**

Reborn inhaled sharply, feeling his tiny chest throb at the sudden movement. Damn, he was getting too weak for his own good. The Anti-Tri-ni-sette was really getting to a point where all he could do was be confined to the bed.

It hurt. Not just physically, but mentally with the fact that he, the world's greatest hitman and Sun Arcobaleno, was losing to something as small as radiation! His pride had taken quiet a blow because of that, but Dame-Tsuna refused to let him leave this world just yet, and had forced him into a Anti-Tri-ni-sette radiation-proof suit.

The hitman allowed himself a rather fragile-looking smile, half-lidded eyes fluttering shut as he was embraced by the darkness. His student was always so naïve, so innocent, trying to put everyone else before himself even if he was Boss. Reborn knew that the suit his Dame-student had put him in wasreally Anti-Tri-ni-sette, but it had one flaw. In Medieval terms, the walls may keep the enemy from evading, the traitors from within the ring of bricks will still continue to corrupt the city.

In simpler terms, what kept the radiation out also kept the effects in.

Of course, he would have told Tsuna that, but one look into those brown eyes – those brown eyes that hadn't lost its familiar shine since the day they met – and all his words had died down in his throat.

His student meant the best, of course. Tsuna just didn't see the situation from Reborn's point of view. The hitman doubted that the Dame-student had gathered enough knowledge of him to do that. Tsuna valued life without question, which is his greatest strength and weakness. He would do anything to keep his friends alive, even if they begged him to kill them. Reborn was one who would shoot the bullet without a second thought.

He cast him mind back. Memories came and went like water, slipping out under the grasp of his mind as soon as he had a glimpse of them, his entire life played out in fast-forward mode.

His life before he became a hitman. The peace and the boredom.

The life of a hitman. The days where all he did was be doused with blood, the sound of gunfire ringing in his ears and the song of murder pounding in his ears – the thrill, the risk, the horror, the excitement, all of it hastily arranged into a vigorous, fast waltz.

The missions he did. He probably used more bullets than the entire MI6, probably because one of his missions required him to wipe out an entire Family.

And then, the Arcobaleno.

Skull, the weak-minded idiot of a lackey that seemed to never gain anyone's respect.

Viper, the mysterious cloaked figure who always had money under those indigo robes.

Lal Mirch, the military commander with a fist of stone and a passion of fire.

Verde, the scientist that was never seen without notes and glasses.

Luce, the kind-hearted woman with a motherly figure but the will of a boss.

Fon, the Chinese martial arts expert who never seemed to be anything else but calm.

Colonnello, the military-wannbe who insisted on adding 'kora' after every sentence.

The eight of them, all of them unique, all of them different in their own respective ways, but they all shared the same curse that had been forced upon them. There were given rewards, yes. But it was nothing compared to the gift of eternal life. The gift that was the curse.

They had to watch their loved ones die, their friends grow old, acquaintances moving on.

It hurt.

Life after he became an Arcobaleno. Not much cleaner than his previous life, but certainly more… colorful.

Meeting Nono. That had been an unexpected twist in his life.

The first meeting with Tsuna, the idiot who can trip _up _the stairs. The first meeting with Gokudera, the Smokin' Bomb Hayato without a home. With Yamamoto, the suicidal baseball fanatic; Sasagawa, the insane boxer who was constantly in Dying Will Mode; Lambo, the idiotic crybaby; Haru, the cheerful girl who liked 'hahi'-ing; Kyoko, Tsuna's crush.

Their first mission, where they met the Kokuyo gang. Ken and Chikusa. And Lancia, the Italian who had been framed for something he didn't commit. The mafia-hater, Rokudo Mukuro.

The battle against the Varia. Sasagawa and Lussuria, Lambo and Levi-a-Than, Gokudera versus Prince Belphegor, Yamamoto against Superbia Squalo, Mukuro fighting Arcobaleno Viper, and finally, Tsuna and Xanxus. It had taken all his will to stop the pride in his chest from showing when his student had won the battle. The victory showed that Reborn had succeeded as a tutor.

Reborn snapped out of his memories, opened his eyes and took another rasping inhale as the door of his wad opened, and Dino came in with a new packet of liquid.

The rather-helpless Arcobaleno gave a half-hearted glare at his student. "You don't need to do this. I'm fine."

"Yeah, totally." His former student replied sarcastically, but it still didn't seem to keep the worry out of his voice. "Like being confined to a bed unable to move is 'fine'."

Reborn made a harsh sound that sounded more like a bark than a laugh. "I'm going to die anyways, why try so hard to keep me breathing a little while longer?"

"The little while may be all that is needed to fine a cure for this." Dine urged, replacing the packet connected to the needle in Reborn's arm with the new one.

"It's useless." Reborn stated, and turned his head to look out at the grey sky beyond the glass of the Namimori Vongola HQ.

"Don't say that, Reborn." The blond chided gently. "Lil' bro Tsuna would be disappointed."

If there had been a fedora on Reborn's head, his expression would have been shadowed. Instead, the infant put on a blank poker face and said, "Yeah. Dame-Tsuna would."

-**KHR**-

One by one, the Arcobaleno fell, under various reasons.

First Skull, the ever-weak excuse of an Arcobaleno. Following that was Verde, and then Fon. After that, Viper and Colonnello, the latter trying to save the former but failing to do so, resulting in the death of both. That left him, Uni – who is serving as boss of the Black Spell, and Lal Mirch. The blue-haired military commander didn't stay in touch often, but Reborn had a pretty good idea on what she was doing.

Dino visited often, and occasionally, one of the guardians would come by, though they always went on various missions to try and stop the Millefiore from gaining power – and mostly coming back with bad news.

Hibari Kyouya, pissed off because he didn't get to fight with Reborn at the end, often came and sat there, glaring silently and sitting there, unmoving, even at the order to leave. He would usually leave when Reborn is asleep.

Yamamoto Takeshi, who always brought something for the infant when he came – usually with reports that Tsuna didn't want to tell Reborn for fear of worrying the infant (to be frank, Yamamoto was too, but Reborn was good at threatening, even when confined). The natural hitman was one of the only guardians who actually could strike up a decent conversation with Reborn without getting killed, bored, threatened, shot, or scared out of their pants. The ever-smiling swordsman never seemed to be anything else apart from happy anyways.

Sasagawa Ryohei, ever shouting and cheerful. If he didn't make Reborn's mood lighten, he would succeed in pissing him off. Nothing much to mention about his visits anyway.

Dokudo Chrome, the shy girl. She usually just sits there, like Hibari, until she has to return to Kokuyo Land for the night, where Ken and Chikusa still reside.

Gokudera Hayato, visiting Reborn when Tsuna wasn't free (confined in prisons with bars made of paperwork). The explosives expert helped fill in the blanks where Yamamoto didn't cover, as well as Tsuna's situation when the boss refused to tell the Arcobaleno.

And finally, Tsuna, who always made time to pop over, every time with another line of worry etched in his forehead. No matter how much he tried to hide it, Reborn could see – his former student was worried sick. Stress and pressure would result in lack of sleep, emphasized by the bags under his eyes.

"It's fine, Reborn." He would say when Reborn questioned his frantic antics to try and take all the responsibility onto his own shoulders. "My own health is not as important as yours."

No matter how late, how tired he was, Tsuna still came day after day (with occasional exceptions). But the time came when he himself had to leave for a mission, and Gokudera took his place from then on.

Reborn hasn't seen his student ever again since the last time Tsuna visited him.

-**KHR**-

Surprisingly, he was one of the first few people to know of his student's 'accidental' death. The guardians haven't received the news yet, since Tsuna had sent them all on missions and disappearing himself, as if the Vongola boss didn't want them to worry about him, even after death.

As the Sun Arcobaleno lay on the same bed he had been stuck in for the past two or three weeks, reading over the report he had gotten, he couldn't help but feel his last strands of hope, which had been brought up by the encouraging comments Dino had made, snap like his sanity.

Vongola is doomed.

Their boss was dead.

He was lying on his deathbed.

The Ninth is out of action.

And he could bet his entire wardrobe of suits that the Millefiore is going to plan a raid.

One of his fingers twitched. Not bad, his muscles were still intact. He gritted his teeth and tried again. Slowly, the hand raised jerkily and, with one kind-of swift movement, pulled out the IV drip that had been connected to his other arm. He let the thin needle fall, not caring where it landed anyways, and concentrated on sitting up.

Reborn finally managed to sit up and shrug his small shoulders to get rid of the knots in his muscles, forcing back a wince as the action sent a flash of pain up his torso. He was really getting old. He probably won't live to see tomorrow, the day of his birthday. At least he dies a year earlier.

Laughing inwardly at the lame attempt of a joke, he crawled to the edge of the rather large bed and started dragging his neatly-pressed suit on. If he were to die, he'd rather die in a suit. Leon woke up from his slumber when the fedora he was dozing on was moved and blinked at its master worriedly.

"Not today, my friend." Reborn muttered, almost recoiling at the raspy sound that turned out to be his voice. He placed the fedora back onto his spiky hair, the familiar weight giving him slight comfort. Leon climbed up his master's arm and settled back onto the Arcobaleno's hat.

"Not today."

-**KHR-**

Dino slowly opened the door of Reborn's ward. He had finally gotten back from the mission Tsuna had asked him to deal with, and wanted to see what Reborn's condition was.

The entire room was dark. Perhaps the infant was sleeping? Well, it _was _five to midnight, after all.

From the little light that was filtering through the open window, Dino saw that the blankets were tossed to one side. Where was Reborn? He was too weak to go outside, or anywhere else, for that matter. The IV was still dripping, and Bucking Horse could see the faint outline of the puddle that was forming on the ground. A small one. That meant that Reborn wouldn't be anywhere far.

Outside, the moon came out from behind the clouds, and a man's shadow was cast onto the ground. Dino traced it until his eyes reached the windowsill.

The Arcobaleno stood, as proud as ever, back to Dino. He was clad in the familiar black suit, red shirt and blue tie, and the fedora. The fedora with the yellow ribbon tied around it.

"R-Reborn?"

The tutor looked over his shoulder, smirk plastered firmly on his face, a mischievous glint in his onyx eyes that he always had when something catastrophic is going to happen soon. The breeze from the open window tossed the black locks that stuck out from under the fedora.

Then the Arcobaleno turned fully, smirk relaxing into a more natural smile, and said calmly,

"_Ciaossu_."

Dino, immediately sensing something wrong, started to run forward to stop his former teacher from doing… whatever he might do. However, when he was just a step away from Reborn, the Arcobaleno disintegrated in a burst of sun flames. His fist grabbed a handful of Reborn's suit and sparks that disappeared after a few seconds.

Bucking Horse stared at the fabric in his hands before collapsing to the ground and sobbing. His guide and teacher, gone! Just like that! What would Tsuna think? How would he be able to face Tsuna when he came back? _How?_

Silently, the yellow ribbon on Reborn's fedora finally detached itself and flew out the window, curling in the wind. The barely visible form of a levitating Reborn stared at his old student, sobbing on the ground.

He couldn't help it, but for a moment, he could almost feel the tears swimming under his eyelids. The wind started whirling more vigorously. The night, void of stars, stretched out endlessly. Far away, a clock chimed midnight.

_Happy birthday, me. _The levitating Reborn thought to himself wryly. _I get to be a year older._

And then he shimmered and dissolved, forever erased from existence. His ribbon, riding the autumn breeze, flew away, ownerless and free.


End file.
